Stories from a clever mercenary in a wild world.

A figure loomed above me, black against the lamplight. I stiffened, then I recognized Ayglos and bleated in relief. I went limp as he grasped Khattmali’s shoulders with bloodied hands and pulled her off me. He crouched by my side, “Are you alright?” “I don’t know,” I groaned. Since I wasn’t dead, I decided to…

I felt her presence only a heartbeat before her voice slivered through the darkness, “Well, well, well. Look who we have here.” I turned, fighting the irrational terror that assaulted my senses. Lamplight was already brushing her clothing as she approached, and I shifted my grip on my knives. I didn’t dare look over…

I stepped into the passage and Ayglos closed the door behind us. I could still feel that nightmarish presence despite the utter lack of blood or ash in sight. Extreme fatigue from the night’s events must be messing with my senses. I was so afraid of running into the Queen in the palace that…

“Eloi,” muttered Trinh. I just stared back at the children who were staring mutely at us. Dark cloaked strangers carrying weapons filled the doorway and they did not move or cry out. Naran was the eldest at six years, the others were clearly younger, two were only just toddlers. I wondered if they could see…

Behind us, I heard Trinh suck in a breath through his teeth, then command Hew in that language only he and the hound knew. Hew hesitated, then skidded to a stop, looking pathetically over his shoulder at Trinh. “We’re near the ambassador’s chambers,” explained Trinh quietly, catching up with Ayglos and me. “Do you think…

I sketched this scene out with watercolors the other week, it’s such poignant moment for Zare. The first real loss you see her face beyond doubt. Her city, the old life, even the other people in her life she’s lost or left behind were all “off screen.” Most, also, were almost a year behind her…

The next part was my idea. Trinh’s tunnel connected us to the warren of narrow passages the guard and the servants used to move about the palace, and there we divided. Rakov and Trinh went ahead to scout Naran and Hess’s quarters while the rest of us went to get Hew, Naran’s favorite hound,…

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading The Legend of Zare Caspian! It means so much to me to have people swept up in Zare’s adventures. I have big news, I decided to launch a Patreon profile! Patreon is based on the idea of patronage, allowing people to directly support creators who work they enjoy on…

Before departing, we tossed the office. We left the windows open, and as a final touch Rakov smashed the lock on the door. If any of our people came back to the warehouse, they ought to see the door and windows and stay away. If they got all the way inside, they shouldn’t linger. I…

Trinh led the way as we skulked through the darkest shadows. Once or twice we cut through buildings to avoid passing near a patrol. There weren’t as many as I’d expected. Perhaps we’d left the palace in more disarray than I’d thought…or else things had been relaxed for the festival and the military had yet…